THE humid streets of Waco, Tex., may not have much in common with the misty glens of Scotland, home to some of the world's best malt whiskeys.

Not much, that is, until last month, when a single-malt whiskey from the Balcones Distillery in Waco bested nine others, including storied Scottish names like the Balvenie and the Macallan, in a blind panel of British spirits experts.

Looks interesting. I picked up a bottle of TX Blended whisky, distilled in Fort Worth over New Years when I was in Austin, I haven't tried it yet, but I wanted to support fellow Texans. I was going to get a bottle of Garrison Brothers Bourbon, distilled in Hye, Tx, but I didn't want to pack an $85 bottle of bourbon in a checked airline bag. I will pick some up in February, when I drive down to Granbury.